Can You Drink From Honeysuckle?

Identification

• Japanese honeysuckle features flowers in shades of pale yellow and creamy white. The flowers are small and trumpet-shaped, flaring out at the ends. The leaves are 3 inches in length, green and oval-shaped, ending in a point at the tip. The plant itself grows horizontally or vertically; most often the latter. It can reach 30 feet in length or height, covering trees, other plants and even buildings.

Method

• Pluck the flower off the plant, keeping the bloom intact. Then, pinch off the end of the flower where it was attached to the vine. Put this end to your lips and suck the nectar from the bloom. There is only a drop of sweet nectar in each flower.

Warning

• The flowers of Japanese honeysuckle are edible, according to the North Carolina State University's Extension website, but the flowers of other species are not. For that reason, only drink the nectar from the flowers if you are sure the honeysuckle is indeed L. japonica.

Considerations

• Because Japanese honeysuckle is considered a nuisance plant in many areas, it may be treated with chemicals to control its growth. For that reason, never drink from honeysuckle if you think it might have been sprayed with chemicals. This includes honeysuckle in major city areas, or alongside roads, which are often sprayed by county or city organizations.